Olympics: Seaton aiming to qualify for Medal Race

Carrick’s Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern (Bangor) will be giving it their all today in their bid to qualify for the Medal Race in sailing’s 49er class at the Olympic Games.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Aug 2012, 08:46 BST

The pair sit in 10th place overall, ahead of today’s final two fleet races and the Irish duo need to stay in the top 10 to be in with a chance of coming home with a medal.

“Ryan and Matt are just one day away from achieving their Olympic goal; to sail in the Medal Race. There are only four points between them and 13th place so they really need two great results to hold on to their position,” said Irish Sailing Association’s Performance Director James O’Callaghan.

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They went into yesterday’s competition in 11th overall, outside the top 10 for the first time. The pressure was on them to perform ahead of today’s final two fleet races and Medal Race qualification - and they did just that.

Conditions in Weymouth were the lightest they’ve been during the Games on Sunday, with winds of just seven knots at times.

Race 12 got off to a good start with the Seaton-McGovern partnership claiming seventh place, moving them up to 10th on the leader board.

Starting in 11th position in Race 13, they had slipped back to 16th by the second mark. But they dug deep and overtook three competitors to finish in 13th, holding on to that all-important 10th spot overall.

Sailing action starts at 12 noon in Weymouth.

Related topics:Weymouth